Sale of orange turns sour for farmers in Kodagu

Covid-19 pandemic has further discouraged orange cultivators in Kodagu.

Kodagu orange is known for its unique aroma and taste and is in great demand not only in Karnataka but also outside the state.

Normally, oranges are ready for harvest twice a year-- once in the rainy season and another during the winter. Compared to oranges harvested during the rainy season, the ones harvested during the winter are in great demand as they taste better.

Normally, oranges are grown as an alternative crop in the coffee plantations in the district as it brings an additional income to the growers during the rainy season.

Over a period of time, the district was left with very few orange cultivators, after a disease hit the crop, which had spread from neighboring Kerala, in 1999. Until then, oranges were grown in around one lakh hectares in the district and around 1,000 containers of oranges were sold per year. But, due to the disease the harvest has came down drastically in the last two years.

Even though the citrus greening disease affecting the oranges has been controlled, the orange trees which lack care, are affected by yellow leaf disease and eventually wither away.

This time, the orange cultivators had to face another blow due to Covid-19 pandemic. Growers are not able to transport the fruits owing to restrictions on the inter-state borders. Locally, the demand for orange has come down forcing the growers to sell them at low prices, which would eventually lead to losses. Owing to fall in price, many growers have chosen not to harvest the crop from their plantations.

The harvesting of oranges in Kodagu is done by contractors, who enter into an agreement with the growers.

Earlier, apart from Kodagu, oranges were in great demand in the neighboring states like Kerala. Also, the Kodagu oranges were in demand from the tourists who visited the district in the past.

The growers fetched Rs 30 per kg for oranges which were sold for Rs 50 per kg in the market. But, as both inter-state transportation and tourism have been hit, the contractors too, did not show any interest to purchase the oranges from the growers.